Introducing your new go-to for a hearty, nutritious meal: Baked Falafel Salad recipe with Creamy Tahini Dressing! This vibrant dish captures all the flavors you love in traditional falafel, minus the frying.
By baking the falafel in the oven or air fryer, you get a deliciously crisp texture with less fat and an easy prep. There is less clean-up, too! It’s a win-win.
Topped with a rich, creamy tahini dressing, this salad is satisfying and packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and bold Middle Eastern flavors. This falafel salad is an easy quick lunch or light dinner, it’s a tasty way to enjoy a classic favorite in a lighter, modern way.
What You Will Need to Make Baked Falafel
Falafel may sound exotic, but they are easy to make and use ingredients you likely have on hand.
Bulgur
Bulgur wheat is made from the wheat kernel. It is cracked and parboiled, which helps it cook quickly. It is a whole grain so it is full of flavor as well as nutrition. You can read more about whole grains in my post “Multigrain vs. Whole Grain Matters: Here’s Why”
Chickpeas
Also known as Garbanzo Beans, these starchy round legumes are a classic part of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food.
1 cup of canned chickpeas has 10g of protein, and 9.5g of fiber and supplies about 8% of your daily needs for magnesium and iron. They are an important component of both the Mediterranean and MIND diet.
Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice adds a burst of fresh flavor to these baked falafels. It also helps provide enough liquid to help bind the ingredients together into a light patty.
Onion and Garlic
Diced sweet onion gives these a little extra bite and flavor. I like the sweetness from a Vidalia onion but if you prefer more of a “bite” then swap in a yellow onion instead.
A clove of garlic adds a nice, classic bite to these. Either use 1 large garlic clove or 2 small cloves.
Parsley and Cilantro
Chopped fresh parsley and cilantro add some classic Middle Eastern flavors to these baked falafels. Dried will work in a pinch if you don’t have fresh parsley. Pick up fresh cilantro though. Dried cilantro just doesn’t provide the same flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes
Crushed red pepper flakes give these a nice little kick. You can add more or less depending on how much of a “kick” you like.
Cumin
This earthy spice is a traditional flavor in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mexican dishes. Ground cumin is used in the falafel recipe and is a spice I typically have on hand. I use it a lot to make taco seasoning and fajitas, and it is a key flavor for these falafel patties.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
While these falafels are baked, you do need a little EVOO brushed on top. This helps give the falafels a nice crispy outside when baked.
How to Make the Baked Falafel
Step 1: Cook the Bulgur Wheat
This is something you can do ahead. I’ll often make a batch of bulgur or quinoa when I have a little extra time and then use it throughout the week. You can keep it stored in the fridge for a week in an air-tight container. Then just take out what you need.
This recipe uses just ½ cup. You can use the extra to make a delicious tabbouleh or toss it with some tahini dressing and mix it into a salad alone.
Step 2: Blend the Ingredients
The easiest way to mix all these ingredients is in a food processor. To get everything blended uniformly, place the chickpeas, bulgur wheat, onion, herbs, and spices in the bowl of a food processor fit with the chopping blade. Pulse it until you have a coarse mixture.
Then with the processor running, slowly pour the lemon juice through the feed tube to combine it all. The mixture should hold together to form a patty.
Step 3: Form the Patties
Using a large scoop, scoop the mixture and make 6 balls. Form each ball into a flattened patty or cake. They should be about an inch to an inch thick and 2 inches in diameter. Brush them with olive oil on both sides and place them on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Step 4: Bake the Falafel
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F, or place in an air fryer preheated to 400°F and bake until the outside is crisp and they are heated through.
Step 5: Make the Tahini Dressing
The tahini dressing can be made ahead. Store it in the fridge and then shake or whisk to blend it. Like other homemade dressings, it comes together quickly.
- Place the tahini paste, garlic powder, and honey in a small bowl.
- Whisk in a little vinegar and lemon juice.
- When combined, whisk in the EVOO until you have a thick and creamy dressing
Step 6: Make the Salad
Place 1 – 2 cups of salad greens on a medium plate. Place 3 falafel patties on the greens and drizzle with the dressing.
Serve with fresh fruit, a side of stuffed grape leaves and olives.
Storage Tips
The falafel can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Reheat them in the oven or microwave, or enjoy them chilled. The flavors will be more pronounced when they are warm.
Other Recipes You Will Love
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds
Fall Grain Bowl with Microgreens
Easy Baked Falafel Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup cooked bulgur wheat
- ¼ cup diced, sweet onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups salad greens
Creamy Tahini Dressing
- 2 tbsp tahini paste
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉, or the air fryer to 400℉. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil if baking in the oven.
- Cook the bulgur according to the package directions. Allow it to cool to room temperature before using it. This can be done ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- Place the bulgur, chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade.
- Process quickly until the chickpeas are well chopped and the ingredients combined.
- With the processor running, drizzle the lemon juice through the feed tube until the mixture holds together in a loose ball.
- With a large scoop, form the falafel mixture into 6 even-sized patties. They should be about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
- Place the patties on the prepared sheet pan and brush both sides of each patty with extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then flip the patties and bake for another 10 minutes. If cooking in an air fryer, cook for 10 minutes and check. If they are browned and heated through they are done.
- Place 3 falafels on 1 – ½ cups of mixed greens and drizzle with 1 tbsp of tahini dressing. (more if desired)
To make the Tahini Dressing
- Place the tahini, garlic powder and honey in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Slowly add the vinegar and lemon juice and whisk to blend.
- Gradually add the olive oil, whisking until the dressing is thick and holds together.
